FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (6-2) picked up its second-consecutive series win on Sunday afternoon at Swanson Stadium, as the team downed Kansas (3-4) in both games of the day's doubleheader. The Eagles first claimed a 2-0 victory before handing the visiting Jayhawks a 3-2 loss in game two. Overall, FGCU took three-of-four against Kansas.

In addition to the excitement of the doubleheader sweep, the day was highlighted by sophomore Chris Seymour (Boynton Beach, Fla./Park Vista HS), who became the first pitcher in Green & Blue program history to earn both a win and a save in the same day. The right-hander earned his first career win in game one before receiving credit for his first-ever save in game two.

"This was a great series win against a Power 5 school," head coach Dave Tollett said. "This series really could have gone either way. I thought we pitched really well and I thought some players that haven't really pitched this season came in and did a fabulous job. I was impressed by our pitching all weekend. We have some work to do offensively, but we will happily take a series win."

FGCU 2, Kansas 0
The first game of the day was a pitching duel between junior Gus Carter (Melbourne, Fla./Eau Gallie HS/Florida Southwestern State) and Kansas' Eli Davis. Between the two of them, only six runners reached base in the opening three innings of the afternoon.

Kansas was the first to have a solid chance to score when a leadoff double put a runner on second in the fourth. Carter came back with a strikeout to end the frame and prevented any opportunity for the Jayhawks to take the lead.

In their half, the Eagles also had a chance to push a few runs across after senior Richie Garcia (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) singled and freshman Ian Farrow (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS) drew a two-out walk. Unable to work anything across, the inning ended with the game still tied at 0-0.

After cruising to a career-high seven strikeouts, and sitting down the order in the fifth, Carter was replaced in the top of the sixth by Seymour, who entered the game and notched a punchout of his own, stranding two Kansas runners on base.

With just two innings left in the game, FGCU was finally able to break open the scoring in the bottom of the sixth. Junior Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State) led off with an infield single and was replaced by sophomore pinch runner Jalen Townsend (Orlando, Fla./Winter Park HS). Townsend stole his first bag of the season to get into scoring position and was quickly joined on the base paths by Garcia, who walked. After a wild pitch put the Green & Blue runners on second and third, Farrow stepped up the plate and cranked out a two-RBI single, handing the team its 2-0 advantage.

Senior Hunter McGarry (Bradenton, Fla./Bradenton Christian School/State College of Florida-Manatee) was called out of the bullpen to close out the game for the Eagles at the start of the seventh. After issuing a leadoff walk, he bounced back with a double play and a strikeout to end any chance of a Kansas comeback.

With the result, Seymour was awarded the first win of his FGCU career, while McGarry was credited with his first save of the season. McGarry is just one stop away from tying former Eagle JJ Crumbley (2005-08) for third all-time with 14 career saves.

 
FGCU 3, Kansas 2
A pair of early miscues put each team on the board in the second game of the doubleheader. In the top of the first, Kansas pushed an unearned run across to take an early 1-0 lead but the team was unable to hold on for long as FGCU evened the score up at 1-1 in its half of the inning. Sophomore Joe Kinker (North Port, Fla./Venice HS) drove a single up the middle and plated redshirt-sophomore Brian Ellis (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) for the home team's early run.

After being held scoreless in the first game of the day, the Jayhawks' offense struggled once again, this time against starting pitcher Ronaldo Gallo (Miami, Fla./Miami Southridge). Other than the unearned run, the sophomore cruised through his first few frames with relative ease. On one occasion, Kansas attempted to move a runner into scoring position, but sophomore catcher Johnny Long (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) threw him out.

Kansas' starting arm also kept FGCU's offense in check, allowing just one baserunner from the third inning through the fifth. With the game still knotted up at 1-1, FGCU was finally able to get back into the runs column in the bottom of the sixth. With one out on the board, the Eagles loaded up the bases for Kinker, who stepped into the batter's box and cranked out a two-RBI single. His knock plated both Garcia and Ellis, boosting the home team to a 3-1 edge.

Gallo was releived at the top of the seventh by redshirt-junior Jake Lister (Bradenton, Fla./Bradenton Christian School/FAMU) after the Jayhawks' second unearned run of the night came across home plate. With FGCU's lead trimmed down to 3-2, the southpaw came in and took down the first batter he faced swinging. He then handed things over to Seymour, who recorded the final out.

With the result, Gallo (1-0) was awarded his first win of the season and tied his career-high of six strikeouts, while Seymour was credited with the first save of his FGCU career.

The team will now enjoy almost a full week off before its upcoming home-and-home series against FAU. FGCU will play a pair of games in Boca Raton (Friday, March 5 & Sunday, March 7) with a matchup at Swanson Stadium falling in the middle (Saturday, March 6). The teams already faced off earlier this season when FGCU hosted FAU for a midweek contest. 

For complete coverage of FGCU baseball, follow the Eagles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FGCU_Baseball and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU baseball or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.

COACH TOLLETT
FGCU coach Dave Tollett currently owns a 612-367-3 overall record (.624) and a 199-109 (.646) record in the ASUN. He is the only head coach in the program's history and led the program to its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2017. He is a five-time ASUN Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to five ASUN Regular Season Championships and one ASUN Tournament Championship. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions, including as high as No. 9 in the country in 2017, and has coached 54 all-conference selections, 33 draft picks, three current major leaguers, 13 current minor leaguers, four ASUN Pitchers of the Year, four All-Americans, three ASUN Players of the Year, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one seven-time MLB All-Star.

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IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!
 
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
 
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 83 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 38 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (No. 24, 2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate (APR) in their sport and have had the highest percentage of teams so honored from these two groups over each of the past three years. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
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